Days ahead of the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, the inauguration of the ‘Srimandir Parikrama,’ also known as the Jagannath Heritage Corridor project, at Odisha’s Puri’s Lord Jagannath temple is set to be inaugurated today (January 17).
Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation (OBCC), has completed the project focused on enhancing the visual appeal and ambiance of the revered Jagannath Temple. They have officially handed it over to the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
Schools in Odisha will also remain shut today in view of the inauguration of the Srimandir Parikrama Project. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has declared a government holiday in the state to witness the grand opening of the corridor.
A large number of devotees from across Odisha and the country on Tuesday started arriving at this seaside pilgrim town on Tuesday. The entire pilgrim town has been beautifully adorned with flowers, decorative lights, and graffiti, presenting a spectacular look.
The chief secretary said the Sri Setu on the way to Puri will be opened to the public after its inauguration by the chief minister on the day.
The DGP said 80 platoons (one platoon comprises 30 personnel) of police force will be deployed for the inauguration of the heritage corridor project.
Besides, around 100 supervisory officers, 250 sub-inspector and ASI rank officials will also be engaged in security duty, he said.
A four-layer security deployment will be in place. All associated arrangements have been made from traffic arrangements to security for VIPs, security of devotees, smooth darshan by devotees, etc, the DGP told reporters.
He said that four bomb disposal teams, anti-sabotage teams, and three canine squads have been deployed to search for suspected objects and sanitize the area.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has planned to make arrangements for 10,000 people from different parts of the state to daily visit the Jagannath temple Puri for a period of a month from January 22.
The Rs 800-crore project will ensure expansive, unobstructed corridors around the Meghanada Pacheri (outer wall) of the Jagannath temple and will provide the devotees excellent visual connection with the 12th-century shrine.
It will also provide amenities to the pilgrims and strengthen the safety and security of the temple and devotees.
The project is one component of a massive initiative worth over Rs 4,000 crore to transform Puri into a world heritage city, another official said.
(With inputs from PTI)
Link to article –
Jagannath Heritage Corridor project in Puri to open for public today: All you need to know
